As per different sources, piriformis syndrome is not quite common globally as it affects less than one percentage of people who are experiencing lower back pain. If it is defined, porous syndrome is usually found in those people whose sciatic nerve is compressed by piriformis muscle, which eventually leads to inflammation. This can lead to numbness or even pain starting from your buttock to your leg. Also, it can be on both sides of your body or just one side. The piriformis muscle is responsible for almost your entire lower body movement and as a result of this syndrome, you can become bed ridden, as you may not be able to perform any leg movement. Well, there are certain symptoms of the disease, which we have covered in this article. But if you are wondering how to heal piriformis syndrome, then we have also got you covered in this part. So, go ahead and find it out.
Table of Contents
Symptoms of Piriformis Syndrome
If we speak about symptoms, then there are certain common symptoms such as:
- Buttock pain or numbness
- Tingling or numbness down the leg(s)
- Difficulty standing on a spot for a long time
- Weakness in the movement of leg(s)
In addition to these common symptoms, there are certain symptoms that occurs only in piriformis syndrome, such as:
- Alternate pain in legs
- Signs of piriformis after pregnancy
- Groin numbness and pain
The process of diagnosis
Piriformis syndrome is a condition that you may not be able to identify with help of certain symptoms, as the proper diagnosis involves movement of legs to note the pain level.
How to heal piriformis syndrome: the treatment to know!
There are certain things that you can definitely adopt while at home to heal or get relief from piriformis syndrome.
Avoid sitting at a place
If your pain is triggered by sitting or lying in a certain place or position, you need to start avoiding it. There will be positions which will worsen your pain, so you need to find that out and avoid sitting in that position. This will eventually help you in relieving some symptoms.
Take rest
Another important thing to do if you are wondering how to heal piriformis syndrome is to take rest as much as possible. Make sure that you are not sitting for a long period of time. You need to keep changing your positions and sit on different surfaces from time to time. You can also take ice or a heat pad along with you whichever works the best in your condition.
Certain stretches/exercises
There are certain stretches or exercises that you can surely perform to manage and heal piriformis syndrome. These are things that you can do at home easily.
The piriformis stretch
One of the most common stretches that people with piriformis do is to lie down on a flat surface and bend your knee and bring your leg up. You can definitely use your hands to do this movement, as you need to bring your leg up until you start feeling a stretch. One of the alternatives that you can use here is a lacrosse ball that can help you release the area.
The hamstrings stretch
The next way to heal your piriformis syndrome is hamstrings stretch. There are different ways to do it and you can choose the one that suits you the best. Or you can lie down on the floor and you need to bend your knees to develop an angle of 90 degrees. Now straight your one leg using either hands or bands to pull your leg upwards. You need to pull your leg until you feel a stretch.
Some other exercises
Besides these stretches, you can certainly do other exercises as well to recover from piriformis syndrome. This includes cardio, yoga, lower body strengthening exercises, and more.
Other piriformis syndrome exercises:
Physiotherapist or physical therapist treatment
Another answer to how to heal piriformis syndrome, is to take some professional help from a physical therapist or a physiotherapist. During these therapies you can take advantage of different modalities that include cupping, dry needling, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation. All these processes can definitely help you get relief of pain and protect you from muscle spasms as well. Some therapists also utilize manual therapy for inhibiting the pain.
During these sessions, you will also get to know what you can do to get pain relief and how to heal piriformis syndrome along with improving your body strength.
FAQs
Can piriformis go away on its own?
Once you are diagnosed with piriformis, it does not go away on its own, as it is a syndrome. You need proper care and medication to cope up with this condition.
Can I diagnose piriformis syndrome at home?
Well, there are certain symptoms that you can understand while at home, but it is recommended to get professional help for proper diagnosis.
Can I heal piriformis on my own?
While piriformis is a condition where you experience lower back pain, legs pain, and movement issues as well. So, it is not entirely true that you can heal the condition on your own, as you will be needing some help on the way.
Final Words
Well, piriformis syndrome is not quite common in the world and if you are among those people suffering from this condition, then you need to start taking care of yourself. There are ways that we have mentioned that can help you understand how to heal piriformis syndrome. Besides medications that your doctor will obviously provide, these are the ways that you can help yourself to overcome the pain and symptoms of piriformis syndrome. So, without thinking further, try out the ways we have curated here to live a better and less pain life while managing your piriformis syndrome.
